Time-interval mechanism



Aug. 17 1926.

G. S. TIFFANY ET AL TIME INTERVAL MECHANISM s Sheets-Shet 1 Filed Oct.14 1920 Aug. 17 1926.-

G. s. TIFFANY ET AL TIME INTERVAL MECHANISM 3 SheetS Sheet 2 Filed Oct.14', 1920 2 .M 7 J in 9 7 U 3 3 M 6 7 a J Lma 4 A E w d m V HMA mmPatented Aug. 17, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE S. TIFFANY, OF SUMMIT, NEW JERSEY, AND THEODORE W. DENISON, OFNEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNORS TO TELAUTOGRAPH CORPORATION, OF RICHMOND,VIR- GINIA, A CORPORATION OF VIRGINIA.

TIME-INTERVAL MECHANISM.

Application filed October 14, 1920. Serial No. 416,891.

This invention relates to improvements in time-interval mechanism forsecuring suc- Cessive 0 erations of the mechanism at cer tain preetermined time intervals apart.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a mechanism forthis purpose in which the time intervals for such operations may bemanually varied as desired and in which such operations are effectedautomatically and repeated as man times as desired.

In the accompanying rawings- "Figure 1 is a top lan view, Figure 2 aside elevation, and Figure 3 a bottom plan view of a time intervalapparatus embodying thepresent invention in its preferred form;

Figure 4 is an end view of the apparatus looking toward the left ofFigure 1 c Figure 5 is a vertical section on the line 5 of Figure 4; pFigure 6 is a horizontal section on the line 6 of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a detail of portions of the circuit making and breakingmechanism of the apparatus;

Figure 8 is an end view of the same lookin toward the left of Figure 7Figure 9 is a diagrammatic view illustratin the arrangement of thedifferent circuits 1n the apparatus.

In said drawings A represents a continuously running motor, such as anordinary clock mechanism, B time interval mechanism proper of thepresent invention controlled thereby, and C a member, such as a bell,controlled or actuated by the time interval mechanism; all of theseparts,with' their connections, being mounted upon a suitably supportedtable D.

The clock mechanism A needs no description except to'point out that itactuates an escapement the members 1, 2, 3 of which in turn periodicallyswing a contact maker 4 to and fro so as ,to, in each second, twiceengage a stationary contact 5 and thus twice close the circuit of thetime interval apparatus proper.

The time interval apparatus proper com prises a dial 6 fixed ,to table Dand having .thirty seconds sub-division, each in turn divided into halfseconds. \Vith this dial 'coaets a manually adjustable pointer arm 7fixed to a shaft 8 'ournaled in and project- ;ingdownwardly t roughregistering openings in table D and in a hub 9 of a bracket 10 securedto the under side of the table. At a point below hub 9 the shaft 8 hasfixed to it a radially projecting arm 11 provided atits outer end with astop 12, for a purpose which will later on appear. As this arm 11 andpointer arm 7 are both fixed to shaft 8 it follows that as the pointerarm is turned to a selected position along dial 6 the arm 11 will swingwith it and its stop 12 be adjusted to a corresponding position on theunder side of table D. Dial 6 is provided with holes 13 and pointer arm'4' with a spring pressed pin 14 for retaining said arm 7 and arm 11 inthe positions to which they may be adjusted.

The time interval mechanism is also provided with a toothed wheel 15 anda pawl 16 for actuating it and with a retaining pawl '17 engaging saidwheel to prevent retrograde movement thereof. Pawl 16 is pivotallymounted in the outer end of the pivotally mounted armature 18 of amagnet 19 so that each time said armature is attracted wheel 15 will beturned one tooth. Armature 18 is held in retracted position by a spring20, and pawls 16, 17 in engagement with wheel 15 by a sprin 21 betweenthe two pawls. Pawl 16 per orms simply the function of rotating wheel 15step-by-step, while pawl 17 performs not only the function of preventingretrograde movement of said wheel but also acts as a circuit closer, inconnection with a pair of insulated clips 22, 23, for a purposewhichwill presently be stated.

The energization of magnet 19 for the actuation of pawl 16 andstepby-step movement of wheel 15 is effected from a battery 24 throughthe following circuit controlled by contacts 4, 5: negative of battery24, wire 25, contacts 4, 5, wires 26, 27 28, winding of magnet 19, wires29, 30 to the positive of battery 24. This circuit is closed each time(in other words, every half second) escapement contact 4 engagesstationary contact 5 so that, in each half second, wheel 15 is turnedone tooth by pawl 16, or 120 teeth per minute. a

The time interval mechanism thus far described is provided with meanswhereby at any selected or predetermined point in the step-by-stepmovement of wheel 15 the bell C will be actuated; the means providedbeing such that the ringing of the bell may be repeated, at such point,as often as desired while wheel 15 rotates. For this pun pose there isprovided an arm or trigger 31 secured to a sleeve 32, which is in turnmounted on a stud 33 and journaled in a hub 31- lixed in one end of aplate spring support 35 the opposite end of which is tixed to a standard36 projecting downwardly from the bracket 10. The sleere 32 is movableup "ardl and downwardly, in the former direction by its spring support35 and in the latter direction by an arm 37, one end of which engages aflange or washer at the lower end of the sleeve 32 and the other end ofwhich is secured to the armature of a magnet The trigger 31 is providedwith an upward projection or tooth which is held, by plate spring as. inengagement with the teeth of wheel 15, so that as said wheel is rotatedby pawl 16 said arm 31 will rotate with it. The hub contains a coiledspring 11, one end of which is secured to said hub or the spring support35 and the other end or" which e ges the sleeve fixed to said arm 31. w11 the 1'e sult that as the arm 31 is thus rotated by the wheel thespring 1 will be wound up and tend to more the arm 31 in the opposidedirection Such lllOYell'ltlit, however. preren ted until the wheel hasbeen rotated a number of teeth or steps predeteri'nined In the positionto which the pointer arm 7, and arm 11 with its stop 12, movingtherewith. are mai'iuall adjusted. hen the wheel has been rotated suchpredetermined number of steps or teeth the projection ll) of arm 31 willengage the wheel retaining end of pawl 17 and more it outwardly, thusforcing the other end of said pawl between contact clips 22, 23 andclosing the following circuit through magnet 39: negative of batter 2%,wire contacts 4;, 5, wires 26, 27, 42, contact 22, pawl 17, contactwires $3, 1 1, 15, winding or" magnet 35), wires 16, 17, 30 to thepositire pole of battery 2%. The resulting energization of magnet willcause it to attract its armature 38 and, through the arm 37 connectedwith said armature, more the arm 31 outwardly against the pressure ofplate spring 35, so to disengage its projection or tooth All) from wheel15. the spring 41 then moving the arm 31 in the opposite direction tothat in which wheel 15 moves until it engages the stop 12 on theadjustable arm 11. As the movement or the arm in this direction beginsit is disengaged from the pawl 17 and the latter is withdrawn fromengagement with the contact clips 22, 23 so that, if no means wereprovided for preventing it, the armature 38 of magnet 39 would beretracted and the tooth 4O ofthe arm 31 reengaged with the wheel 15,before the arm 31 reached the adjustable arm 11, To prevent suchretraction of armature 38 of magnet another circuit is provided whichremains closed so long as contacts e1, 5 are in engagement regardless ofthe disengagement o't the pawl 17 from the contacts 23;

circuit consisting of wire 25 from the atire of battery 21, contacts 5,wires 2c, 48, contact armature 38, wires 50, -15, winding of magnet 39.and wires -16, -17, to the positire pole of battery \Vhen contacts 1, Y;are disengaged this circuit is broken, but the armature 38, ren'iainingin engagement with contact 19, while contacts 1. o are in engagement,will maintain the tooth .10 of arm 21-1 away from the teeth of wheel 15until said arm has reached the adjustable arm 11.

Simultaneousl with the engagement of the pawl 17 with the contact clips22, 23 at the end of the forward movement of the arm 31 the bell C willbe rung from battery 24: through the following circuit: negativeofbatter-j 2-1, wire contacts 1, 5, wires 26, 2T, 42, contact 22, pawl 17,contact 23, wires 13, 51, winding of bell magnet 52, wires 53, 17, 30 tothe positive of l attery \Vhen the pawl 17 is freed from the clips 22,23, and the contacts a; and 5 separate, the magnet 39 is (lo-energized,the armature 38 is retracted by its spring and, when so retracted, willpermit plate spring to move arm 31 toward wheel 15 to re-engage tooththereof with said wheel.

In other words. it, for example, thd pointer arm '7 be adjusted at 20 onthe indicator dial 6 the wheel 15 will be rotated forty teeth. At thebeginning or its rota tion the projection 10 of arm 31 will rest againstthe stop 12 of arm 11 and as the" wheel 15 is rotated the arm 11,because of its engagement through its projection or tooth 40 with saidwheel. will rotate therewith until the wheel has been moved forty teeth.The projection or tooth 40 of the arm 31 will then engage the pawl 1'7and more the free end thereof between the contact clips 22, 23. Theengagement of the pawl 17 with these contacts will close the bellcircuit just described, thus causing the bell C to be rung, and will, atthe same time, through the energization of magnet 39, release theprojection or tooth 40 from engagement with wheel 15 and permit thespring ll to turn said arm in the opposite direction until it againengages the projection or tooth 12 ot' the arm 11, which prevents itsfurther HIOVGIHGnt in that direction. This operation of the arm 81, andtherefore the actuation of the bell G, will continue to be repeated solong as the wheel 15 is rotated and pointer arm 7 remains at thegraduation 20 on the dial 6. If the pointer arm 7 be changed to 15? orany other graduation of the 'dial the operation of the arm 31, andtherefore the ringing of the bell C, will be the same ii ill] justdescribed except that it will take place when the wheel 15 has beenmoved thirty teeth; and so on, the bell being rung repeatedly by thetime interval apparatus, with any desired time interval between theringings thereof that may be predetermined by the adjustment of arm 7.

What is claimed is 1. The combination with a motor and a contact makerperiodically actuated thereby, of a circuit, including a magnet,periodically closed by said contact maker, a ste -by-step movable membercontrolled by sai magnet, a trigger normally engaged with and movable bysaid member, means con-trolled by the trigger and by said contact makerfor repeatedly disengaging it from said member at predetermined pointsin the members movement, means for moving the trigger when so disengagedin the opposite direction to the members movement to return the triggerto its initial position during the period between two successiveoperations of said contact maker, an adjustable stop for limiting thetriggers movement in this direction and predetermining the points in themembers movement at which it shall be disengaged therefrom, and manuallycontrolled means for adjusting said stop.

2. The combination with a motor and a contact maker periodicallyactuated thereby, of a circuit, including a magnet, periodically closedby said contact maker, a stepby-step movable member controlled by saidmagnet, a trigger normally engaged with and movable by said member, amagnet for repeatedly effecting its disengagement from said member atpredetermined points in the members movement, a circuit controlling saidmagnet and in turn controlled b the circuit maker aforesaid and saidtrigger, means for moving the trigger when so disengaged in the oppositedirection to the members movement, an adjustable stop for limiting thetriggers movement in this direction and predetermining the points in themembers movement at which it shall be disengaged therefrom, and manuallycontrolled means for adjusting said stop.

3. The combination with a motor and a contact maker periodicallyactuated thereby, of a circuit, including a magnet, periodically closedby said contact maker, a step-by-step movable member controlled by saidmagnet, a. spring pressed trigger normally engaged with and movable bysaid member, a magnet for repeatedly effecting its disengagement fromsaid member atpredetermined points in the members movement, a circuitcontrolling said magnet and in turn controlled by the circuit makeraforesaid and said trigger, a spring for moving the trigger when sodisengaged in the opposite direction to the members movement, anadjustable stop for limiting the triggers movement in this direction andpredetermining the points in the members movement at which it shall bedisengaged therefrom, and manually controlled means for adjusting saidstop.

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto set our hands.

GEORGE S. TIFFANY. THEODORE V. DENISON.

